Romance of Navajo Silver

Romance of

Visitors to the Southwest are entranced with the soft sheen of gleaming silver ornaments seen in trading posts and curio stores. Few can resist the lure of rings set with turquoise or bracelets studded with the sky blue stone. The so-called squash blossom necklaces with the crescent-shaped naja pendants coax the dollars from vacation pocket books, while concha belts, large and small, girdle the waists of fair young things and beaming portly males who can't resist the desire to go native. Almost inevitably the buyers of all Indian silver demand stories to go with their purchases. They pore over the little booklets issued by some traders and go home satisfied that they know all there is to be known about the mystical hieroglyphics stamped on bracelets and rings. Now and then one sees statements made by enthusiastic tradesmen concerning the "age old craft of the Navajo or Pueblo Indians." Reading such items one might be tempted to believe that silver workings was indeed an ancestral art practiced long before the coming of the white man to the Southwest. Occasionally we see articles which speak of the art as having been learned from the Spanish conquistadores, thus inferring that the tribesmen have been making the gleaming ornaments for at least three or four hundred years.

These stories are all very well as fairy tales. Would you like to know the real truth about the origin of Navajo silver? The story that has a romance all of its own, but not at all in accord with the semi-fictitious accounts so often told by uninformed traders or written by popular writers?

The plain unvarnished truth is that the art of Navajo and Pueblo silversmithing is not quite ninety years old. The Spanish conquistadores had nothing to do with the introduction of the craft among the tribesmen. but some of the ornaments which the Indians make, wear and sell, do have a lineage that dates back to the time of the first Europeans to invade the Southwest, while other gleaming baubles have an ancestry that hearkens back to the fur trade of the 18th century.

So far as we have any actual records the Navajo did not begin the active manufacture of silverwork until after the year 1853.

Navajo Indians were wearing silver ornaments probably half a century before they began making them.

To begin with, we must understand that the silver objects made by the Navajo sprang from two major parent stems. Certain types of bracelets, rings, concha belts, and earrings were originally introduced to the Indians of the eastern woodland by British and French fur traders. In turn these ornaments were carried into the Plains country after the opening of the 19th century. Thence they found their way to Navajo land, thus furnishing the latter Indians with models for home made jewelry when the knowledge of silversmithing became known to a few of the Navajo in the 1850s.

A second source of inspiration for some of the more picturesque Navajo ornaments was the clothing adornments of the Spanish-Mexican residents of the Rio Grande

Navajo Silver By Arthur Woodward

settlements. During the latter part of the 18th and the first few decades of the 19th century, the trousers and jackets of the Mexican men were profusely decorated with silver buttons and clasps. The bridle trappings of Mexican horses were covered with glittering silver. Suspended from the head stall of Spanish horses was a crescent-shaped bit of silver, the ends of the crescent often terminating in two tiny hands. This emblem was so old when Columbus crossed the ocean that even then the origin was lost in the mist of antiquity. Before the Navajo adopted it as a necklace ornament this curiously shaped bit of silver was used by the Spanish caballeros as an amulet to ward off the evil eye from their mounts.

Hanging from jackets and trousers were small silver balls attached to fine silver coins. The early 19th century Mexican man might not have a cent in his pocket but he sometimes wore a thousand dollars worth of silver on his back. The Navajo and the Spaniards were always at war. When a Navajo killed a Spaniard, the Indian appropriated the clothing of his victim. In time the Navajo were wearing garments adopted from the Spanish-Mexican inhabitants of New Mexico and Arizona. The round silver buttons became beads for Navajo necklaces. The flat or dome shaped buttons were retained as garment decorations. Even the soft, red and blue buckskin leggings and moccasin like shoes worn by the Spanish speaking peoples of the southwestern frontier became a part of the Navajo-Pueblo culture.

In far off Spain is a town called Granada. That word means pomegranate. The city is symbolized on the coat of arms of Spain by a pomegranate. Small silver pomegranates dangled from trouser legs and jackets of New Mexican dandies. Those silver pomegranate decorations when clipped off and strung became necklaces. In later years, white men, not understanding the origin of the beads saw in them a resemblance to squash blossoms. In time, this term became common and today "squash blossom" necklaces in varying forms are seen in every trading post and store of the Southwest that handles Indian jewelry. These same tiny pomegranates were attached to long hollow silver pendants which in turn were fastened to the poncho-like velvet capes worn by the Spanish-Mexican gentleman. The Navajo took over these pendants and converted them into earrings.

Thus it was that a horse amulet and Mexican trouser ornaments were combined to produce one of the most popular pieces of Navajo jewelry ever sold to a credulous white man.

Another spectacular item of Navajo jewelry is the concha belt. Today these belts are made in a variety of sizes and weights. Small conchas linked together became smart accessories for sports wear. Individual conchas make attractive brooches. Originally these round and ovoid silver conchas (the word is Spanish and means shell) were a type of silver ornament introduced by the fur traders to the Indians of the woodland area east of the Mississippi river. During the 18th century these were worn at-Long before the Navajo began wearing these silver belts the custom was in vogue among their neighbors on the Plains. By right of conquest no doubt, silver belts became the property of victorious Navajo, thus starting a new fad.

Attached to the hair and were known as "hair plates." When these same ornaments reached the Plains country they were also worn as hair plates, and as adornments for narrow leather belts, worn by the women. Thus, long before the Navajo began wearing silver belts the custom was in vogue among their neighbors on the Plains, with whom the Navajo sometimes fought. To the victor belongs the spoils, and by right of conquest no doubt, silver belts became the property of victorious Navajo warriors, thus starting a new fad in Navajo land.

It was not until an American army man, Captain Henry L. Dodge, newly appointed agent of the Navajo journeyed out into the heart of the Navajo country near Fort Defiance and established his headquarters in November 1853, that we have our first definite word of a Mexican silversmith living among the Indians, and from whom the Navajo learned the first rudiments of manufacturing silver ornaments for their own use. With Captain Dodge went this Mexican silversmith, and an American blacksmith. These two metal workers taught a handful of Navajo how to work iron and silver. It is significant that the first known Navajo silversmith was known as Herrero Delgadito, "Little Lean Iron Worker" or Blacksmith.

Herrero was a leader of the Navajo from 1858 onward. He was at Bosque Redondo, with many of his captive tribesmen in 1865 and while there stated that he knew how to make things out of iron. Later, after he returned to his home near Fort Defiance, he made silver jewelry and souvenirs for the soldiers at the post.

During the 1870's and 1880's, silver working flourished among the Navajo. The native smiths made their own punches out of old files and scrap iron. Some of the first implements used to stamp the silver with the now well known array of small designs were apparently punches used in making designs on Mexican saddles. So, whenever you see those funny little curves, sun bursts, circles, etc., covering rings and bracelets, and you are handed a little folder giving you the symbolic meaning of such marks throw the folder aside and dream up your own interpretation, the results will probably be much more satisfying. Just remember that the entire craft of silversmithing has been borrowed lock, stock and barrel, by the Indians from the white man. True, the Indian has put into it some of his own innate good taste and skill, which lifts the jewelry out of the commonplace and puts it in a class all by itself. Don't blame the Indian for all of the cheap looking, gim crack bracelets, rings, etc. that one sees in modern department stores. Some of that is just imitation ware made under white supervision according to patterns devised by white men who fondly believe it looks more Indian than the fine pieces turned out by the native craftsmen.

You can buy good, tasteful Indian jewelry at all reputable traders and curio stores. Some of the best, I might say all of the best Indian jewelry in the South-west is the product of Navajo and Pueblo students at the government schools at Santa Fe and Fort Wingate. In those institutions the boys (and girls for there are women silversmiths too) learn how to evaluate silver and turquoise. They learn the best methods of working the shining metal. They study their designs. The results of their work are bracelets, rings, belts, brooches, pins and many other choice items designed to attract the white visitor. Moreover these modern pieces are based on old designs. All of the best of the earlier, simpler pieces of jewelry are utilized and incorporated into modern ornaments that will rank favorably with the ultra modern wares of the Scandinavian silversmiths who are noted throughout the world for their smart sophisticated workmanship.

The standards of modern Indian jewelry are main-tained by the association of Indian traders and by the United States Indian Arts and Crafts board operating under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior.

All silver produced in the Indian schools is stamped with the letters "U. S." followed by a set of numerals denoting the school in which it was made. The silver used must be of a certain weight and quality. The traders have learned that only by selling good products can they hope to compete with the output of the school boy silversmiths. Consequently, many of the silver-smiths who work for private traders are encouraged to manufacture only such articles as will be on par with the products of the schools. Ornaments stamped out of thin sheet silver are discouraged. There are certain manufacturing concerns in Albuquerque and other cities where Navajo Indians operate machinery and turn out simpler pieces of jewelry in wholesale lots. These rings and bracelets are advertised as "Indian Made," which technically they are but it is only a subterfuge. Good Indian jewelry cannot be manufactured by mass pro-duction methods. Like all works of art, the Indian silverwork is the product of the individual craftsman. He puts into it something of himself and the person who buys that piece knows that he has purchased an article of inestimable value, yet the price may be ridiculously low.

Just a few tips in purchasing Indian jewelry.

The work of the Navajo silversmith is mainly a study in design. The bracelets, rings, belts, brooches and pins which result are works of art.

stick slightly to the palm of your hand. The Indians themselves prefer the clear, sky blue turquoise. They were using this stone as an ornament centuries before the white man came. They have become connoisseurs of turquoise. You can do no better than follow their judgment. If you like the very thin bracelets set with numerous tiny studs of turquoise, Zuni is the place to buy them. In that pueblo the men and women silversmiths excel in that type of workmanship, but even so, candor compels me to admit that the craftsmanship is not as fine as that of the smiths who work in heavier silver. Within the past few years the Zuni have revived their ancient art of mosaic inlay work, wherein they use bits of shell, turquoise and jet in a silver setting. The results are stunning. The Zuni workmen can do inlay work better than any other group in the southwest. They can do things with seashells and turquoise that cannot be equalled any place. Anciently the Zuni probably borrowed the art from the Hohokam who lived in the Gila valley in Arizona, and they in turn may have received it first hand from the superlative craftsmen of pre-historic Mexico. Of course one pays higher prices for such work but then, did one ever get anything worth while without paying for it? If you buy strands of globular silver beads, the modern descendants of Mexican trouser ornaments, examine each bead carefully. Good beads of this type are not too light and the seams where the two halves of the bead are joined together should appear almost smooth. Coarse file marks or tiny holes piercing the metal indicate sloppy workmanship. The same rule holds true with the pomegranate necklaces. The prongs at the end of the pomegranate should not be too long. This fault throws the ornament out of true proportions. The closer the silversmith has stuck to the old tradition in making the pomegranate ornament, the shorter the prongs or petals will be.

Don't buy the gaudiest pieces you see. The old Indian bracelets were simple in design, pleasing to the eye, and heavy enough to give the buyer the assurance that he had his money's worth in silver. Don't buy pieces that are covered with all manner of punch marks. Good pieces will have few punch marks, and these will be arranged to form pleasing patterns. Examine bracelets for their workmanship, inside as well as outside. Good bracelets have a smooth satiny finish. File marks and hammer marks are all but non existent. Joints where pieces have been soldered together will appear as fine hair like lines. If you desire ornaments set with turquoise, look for the hard, clear blue stones. Dull, olive green turquoise may or may not be the result of artificial discoloration brought about by boiling the stone in oil. anything from bacon drippings to crank case sludge will change a light, soft turquoise into a greenish looking stone. Sometimes matched turquoise necklaces of the dark greenish blue stones have been thus treated. Sometimes, not always, this fraud can be detected by clasping the strand of turquoise tightly in the hand. The body warmth causes the oil to ooze from the stone and the beads will Don't purchase pomegranate necklaces that are smothered with turquoise. The latter stone played no part in the earlier forms of necklace. As a matter of fact, turquoise as a setting for silver did not enter the picture until the 1880's and only since 1900 has it become the dominant note in Indian jewelry.

Buy from reputable stores and traders; there are many in the Southwest. Insist on marked silver made out of good silver slugs. Ask to see wares made under the auspices of the Indian schools or authorized by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.

Don't insist on an interpretation of the markings on the jewelry. You may get it and when you relay it to your friends, some one of them may know the truth of the matter and will you feel foolish!

Keep in mind that the trader who sells you your wares is human. He enjoys a joke as well as the next man, and if you insist on being on the receiving end of a western jest he will oblige you, as for example: A woman walked into a curio store in Phoenix. She examined a handsome pomegranate necklace in the show case. She pored over it. Her fingers went from pomegranate to pomegranate. Her lips moved as she counted them. Then she looked up with a triumphant smile on her lips.

"There are only eighteen squash blossoms here," she said to the dealer.

The dealer refrained from pointing out that in reality the little ornaments weren't squash blossoms. He also carefully refrained from expressing himself concerning the number in the strand. He knew that there was no significance to the fact that there were but eighteen in the necklace. However, he was curious to see what she would say.

"Don't you realize what that means?" the woman persisted.

"No. I'm sorry I don't," he admitted truthfully.

"Well," she said drawing herself up in the important manner of a person about to enlighten a child, "I shouldthink you would know. Would you like me to tell you?"

"The number of squash blossoms on any Navajo necklace is most important. Most important. I have a very fine necklace. My strand has twenty-four blossoms. Your necklace only has eighteen."

"Yes?" murmured the dealer in a properly awed tone.

"It so happens," continued the woman, "that every Navajo girl wears one of these squash necklaces until she gets married. The necklace is the symbol of her virginity. Each squash blossom marks a degree of that virginity. Now do you see why the number of blossoms on a necklace is important?"

The trader was too overcome to do anything but gasp out a feeble, "Yes."

His informant swept out of the store conscious of having done her duty as an educator while the dealer's war whoops of laughter, kept properly subdued until she had passed out of earshot, brought his assistant running to see if his boss had suddenly gone crazy.Moral: Unless the dealer offers to tell you tall tales don't insist on them. unless you can tell him taller yarns, then make 'em good. just as the lady did. You can be certain he will be appreciative!